Incorporating physical activity into routines

While many of us understand the benefits of physical activity and exercise, adding in yet another activity can seem daunting to busy families when schedules are already hectic and full. However, any physical activity is better than no activity, and any movement you can do as a family can help! 

The best way to increase physical activity is to incorporate it into routines that your family already has. 

One of my favorite ways to easily increase daily activity is to go on a family walk. The sun sets at 7:46 PM in the Seattle area today, which is 3.5 hours later than it set in December! Instead of defaulting to routine indoor activities before or after dinner, use that time to take advantage of the extra daylight and take a walk around the neighborhood or to a nearby park. Dedicating time to spend time outdoors together unplugged can help families bond and connect with each other. Participating in physical activities together is also a great way to lead by example and help instill positive, healthy habits in children that will last even as they grow older and more independent.

Another fun way to incorporate more physical activity into your child’s day is to build little obstacle courses around your home! 

Obstacle courses can be as simple or as complex as you make them, and can be made out of things you already have at home. Rolled towels can become balance beams, upside-down bowls can become stepping stones, and pillows and couch cushions can become soft, unstable surfaces. Painter’s tape can also help create fun lines on the floor to walk across (you can also use chalk outdoors). 

To incorporate an obstacle course into an already existing routine, try creating a small obstacle course in a hallway for your child to walk through to get from one end to the other. For example, if your child’s bedroom is at the end of a hallway, try creating a small obstacle course for them to walk across each time they enter or leave their bedroom. 

Obstacle courses do not have to be large and complex for them to help with your child’s motor skills! One of my patient’s families simply staggered pieces of painter’s tape marker’s on every other step to help their daughter practice alternating her feet on the stairs. Within a few weeks of putting on the tape, my little patient gained enough strength to alternate feet on her own. It’s repetition of the little things that can make the biggest difference :).